Illusive World of TV Shows
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Everyone who has the time to sit in a comfortable armchair watching a friend-heavy TV program may mention one fact that all the characters of these shows lead a rather serene way of life. They meet with their friends for a cup of coffee or for a lively conversation even on working days. They attend parties and weekend birthdays. Their life is full of events and emotions. These characters are not familiar with the sense of loneliness and isolation. The main question is whether the content of TV programs is true-to-life. Neal Gabler suggests that these shows are pure wish fulfillment, indeed, rather phony, and, perhaps, sad (Gabler 315). After a careful study of the episode from such TV program as Modern Family, it becomes clear that it shows events that people want to see rather than those that refer to an everyday life.
Modern Family is an American TV series that depicts the life of different types of families. It is a sitcom or a so-called mockumentary that allows the viewer to enjoy watching scenes of the life of modern families. This serial provides the audience with funny stories that make relax and believe that the life could be so exciting and at times carefree. The characters of Modern Family are usually surrounded by their friends and relatives and always seem to have time for their kids and family affairs. The aim of the creators of such programs is to entertain and involve viewers in the process of watching. Therefore, they show the essential life processes of contemporary people in the way that viewers dream of them.
Gabler is completely right claiming that TV shows of this range are suitable for people who feel unhappy. They clearly understand that these programs will certainly raise their mood and immerse in the world of dreams and illusions where there are no challenging problems and constant squabbles but there are happy families and reliable friendship. Nearly every episode of Modern Family shows loving parents who take care of their children and prepare delicious breakfasts for them every morning. Their relations are so smooth, confidential and intimate that many people may only dream about rather than have them. Such relationships can be built only after a long period of time but the TV programs, in contrast, display how it is easy to make friends and start a family.
Another significant feature of Modern Family is that it is typical for it to show huge family gatherings with full of fun and jokes. The family usually has a large dinner table where all the members gather together to taste delicious food and to have a nice conversation nearly every evening. Gabler admits that most families would be lucky to have one such get-together each year at Thanksgiving (Gabler 318). This fact confirms more and more unrealistic implication of this program. Moreover, various school meetings that stimulate all family members to neglect their work and duties in order to attend them and weekend parties where attendance is obligatory prove that this show is not realistic at all. Such programs attract people because it is easy to sit down in front of the TV set and relax watching illusive stories where people are not lonely, where there are understanding and mutual aid and where peace and friendship dwell. Todays busy world full of gadgets and various devices deprives people of the opportunity to establish real friendship, therefore, people miss those relations that they no longer have and try to compensate this loss watching such TV programs.
All things considered, such TV shows as Modern Family display little realism. They are not about genuine friendship and relationship because all the scenes that the viewers have an opportunity to watch are based on the unrealistic concepts that refer to family and friendship. The intimacy of the relations in these shows is extremely deceitful because they are too sweet and smooth. There are no challenging circumstances such as selfishness, stupidity, the inability to define priorities, the estrangement, long and even protracted quarrels, the intolerable sense of loneliness and isolation even within the crowd that accompany true relations and friendship. Therefore, these shows are named by Gabler as pure wish fulfillment. They offer viewers happy family and friends that do not face any obstacles and difficulties in their life. It is a family or a friendship as people want it to be. It is really the world of illusions and dreams.
What is the point of the assignment as you understand it?
The point of the assignment is to analyze an episode of one of the friend-heavy TV programs and confirm the idea of Neal Gabler that these shows are pure wish fulfillment.
What should you focus on in this paper?
It is important to focus on details and facts that refer to the family and friendship as they are displayed in TV programs and compare them with Gablers assertions.
What should you avoid doing in this paper?
It is necessary to avoid listing the facts without any analysis and confirmation of the idea.
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